Calibrachoa plant named ‘SAKCAL112’

ABSTRACT

A  Calibrachoa  plant particularly distinguished by having a lavender flower color, large flower size and a compact plant growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Calibrachoa spp.

Variety denomination: ‘SAKCAL112’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Calibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa spp., and referred to by the variety name ‘SAKCAL112’. ‘SAKCAL112’ originated from a hybridization made in 2008 in Kakegawa, Japan. The female parent was the proprietary hybrid Calibrachoa breeding line named ‘7-3B-1A’ and had a lavender, pink and rose flower color, large flower size and a mounding plant growth habit. The male parent was the proprietary hybrid Calibrachoa breeding line named ‘7B-16A-1’ characterized by its lavender flower color, medium flower size and a compact plant growth habit.

In November 2008, the parental lines ‘7-3B-1A’ and ‘7B-16A-1’ were crossed and 200 seeds were obtained. In February 2009, the F₁ seed was sown in the greenhouse, cultivated and plant lines were produced with flower colors of rose, pink and lavender with a mounding and creeping plant growth habit. In May 2009, four plant lines were selected within the F₁ plants that had lavender flowers and a compact plant growth habit. In June 2009, the four plant lines were intercrossed and 2,500 seeds were obtained from the group of F₂ plants.

In August 2009, 500 seeds were sown in the greenhouse, cultivated and plant lines were produced with flower colors of lavender with a mounding and compact plant growth habit. In November 2009, the line ‘K2010-062’ was selected for its lavender flower color and compact plant growth habit.

In February 2010, line ‘K2010-062’ was first vegetatively propagated, cultivated and evaluated. In April 2010, line ‘K2010-062’ was confirmed to be fixed and stable. In July 2010, line ‘K2010-062’ was propagated and cultivated again to reconfirm the lines' stability. In November 2010, the line was confirmed to be fixed and stable. The line was subsequently named ‘SAKCAL112’ and its unique characteristics were found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings in Salinas, Calif. Asexual propagation was performed via excising the terminal 1.0 inches to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem of the variety.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishing characteristics of this new variety when grown under normal horticultural practices in Salinas, Calif.

-   -   1. Lavender flower color;     -   2. Compact growth habit; and     -   3. Large flower size.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

This Calibrachoa plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographs which show the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, and flowers. The photographs are of a four-month-old plant grown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions in the summer of 2013. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1 shows the overall plant habit of the plant grown in a pot.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the mature inflorescence of the plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of ‘SAKCAL112’. The data which define these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Salinas, Calif. Data was collected on four-month-old plants grown under greenhouse conditions in Salinas, Calif. in the summer of 2013. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 4^(th) edition (2001).

-   Classification:     -   -   Family.—Solanaceae.         -   Botanical.—Calibrachoa spp.         -   Common.—Calibrachoa.         -   Designation.—‘SAKCAL112’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary hybrid Calibrachoa line ‘7-3B-1A’             (unpatented).         -   Male parent.—Proprietary hybrid Calibrachoa line ‘7B-16A-1’             (unpatented). -   Growth:     -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 4 weeks.         -   Environmental conditions for plant growth.—The terminal 1.0             to 1.5 inches of an actively growing stem was excised. The             vegetative cuttings were propagated in five to six weeks.             The base of the cuttings were dipped for 1 to 2 seconds in a             1:9 solution of DIP 'N GROW (1 solution: 9 water), a root             inducing solution, immediately prior to sticking into the             cell trays. Cuttings were stuck into plastic cell trays             having 98 cells, and containing a moistened peat moss-based             growing medium. The cuttings were misted with water from             overhead for 10 seconds every 30 minutes until sufficient             roots were formed. Rooted cuttings were transplanted and             grown in 20-cm diameter plastic pots in a glass greenhouse             located in Salinas, Calif. Pots contained a peat moss-based             growing medium. Soluble fertilizer containing 20% nitrogen,             10% phosphorus and 20% potassium was applied once a day or             every other day by overhead irrigation. Pots were             top-dressed with a dry, slow release fertilizer containing             20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 18% potassium. The typical             average air temperature was 24° C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Habit and form.—Compact and branching.         -   Life cycle.—Tender perennial.         -   Height (from soil line to top of foliage).—7.3 cm.         -   Spread.—24.0 cm.         -   Flowering requirements.—Will flower so long as day length is             greater than 12 hours and temperature is above 13° C.         -   Temperature tolerances.—Excellent resistance to rain, heat,             and drought. Plants will not tolerate temperatures below 10°             C. -   Stems:     -   -   General description.—Circular in cross-section; dull in             appearance.         -   Stem length.—8.3 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Internode length (average).—2.0 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 144B (Green).         -   Pubescence.—Slight; pubescence is RHS 155C (White).         -   Anthocyanin color.—Absent. -   Leaves:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Surface appearance (both surfaces).—Dull.         -   Surface pubescence (both surfaces).—Slightly pubescent;             pubescence is RHS N155C (White).         -   Length.—3.2 cm.         -   Width.—1.2 cm.         -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS 137A (Yellow-Green). Lower             surface: RHS 137C (Yellow-Green).         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Petiole.—Absent; decurrent leaf attachment.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Solitary.         -   Flowering habit.—Indeterminate.         -   Time to bloom from propagation.—10 weeks.         -   Total number of flowers.—Approximately 50.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—5 days.         -   Fragrance.—Absent. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Surface texture.—Pubescent.         -   Length.—2.0 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Color.—RHS 85A (Violet). -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—0.9 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.1 cm.         -   Color.—RHS 145A (Yellow-Green).         -   Surface appearance and texture.—Dull with heavy pubescence;             pubescence color is RHS N155C (White). -   Corolla:     -   -   Shape.—Composed of five, fused petals to create a             funnel-shaped flower with five fissures and a shallow, yet             prominent, indentation of the petal tip at the midvein.         -   Flower diameter.—3.5 cm.         -   Flower depth.—0.5 cm.         -   Petals.—Shape: Obcordate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Fused.             Margin: Entire. Surface texture (both surfaces): Glabrous.             Degree of lobing: Strong. Length: 2.7 cm. Width: 1.5 cm.             Color: Upper surface: Closest to RHS N82B. Lower surface:             Closest to RHS N82C (Purple-Violet).         -   Corolla tube.—Length: 1.5 cm. Diameter: 0.5 cm. Color: Inner             surface: RHS 5A (Yellow). Outer surface: Closest to RHS 4B             (Yellow) with RHS 79A (Purple) veins. -   Calyx:     -   -   Arrangement.—Composed of 5 sepals, free.         -   Sepals.—Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.             Color (both surfaces): RHS 137A (Green). Length: 1.0 cm.             Diameter: 0.2 cm. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamen number.—5.         -   Stamen color.—RHS 4B (Yellow).         -   Stamen form.—Free.         -   Stamen length.—1.0 cm.         -   Pollen color.—RHS 15A (Yellow).         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Ovary.—Superior.         -   Placental arrangement.—Central.         -   Pistil number.—1 (per inflorescence).         -   Pistil length.—0.9 cm.         -   Pistil color.—RHS 154C (Yellow-Green).         -   Stigma color.—RHS 154C (Yellow-Green).         -   Stigma length.—0.1 cm.         -   Style length.—0.8 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 145C (Yellow-Green).         -   Seed production.—Absent.         -   Fruit production.—Absent. -   Disease and insect resistance: Plants are susceptible to Botrytis,     powdery mildew, various stem and root rots, and certain viruses,     such as Tobacco Mosaic Virus and Impatiens Necrotic Spotted Virus.     Plants can be infested with aphids, leafminers, whitefly, and     various Lepidoptera.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘SAKCAL112’ is a new and unique variety of Calibrachoa owing to its lavender flower color, large flower size and compact plant growth habit. ‘SAKCAL112’ is distinguished from its parents as shown in Table 1 below:

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Female parent: Male parent: Characteristic ‘SAKCAL112’ ‘7-3B-1A’ ‘7B-16A-1’ Flower color Lavender Lavender, Pink & Lavender Rose Flower size Large Large Medium Plant growth habit Compact Mounding Compact

‘SAKCAL112’ is a new and unique variety of Calibrachoa owing to its lavender flower color, compact growth habit and a large flower size. ‘SAKCAL112’ is most similar to the commercial Calibrachoa variety ‘SAKCAL106’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/815,966 filed Mar. 19, 2013, abandoned), commercially known as Calipetite® ‘Blue’; however there are differences as described in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Characteristic ‘SAKCAL112’ ‘SAKCAL106’ Flower petal color, RHS N82B RHS 83B (Purple) with upper surface RHS 77A (Purple) veins and RHS N77A (Purple) at midvein Flower petal color, RHS N82C RHS 83C (Purple) with lower surface (Purple-Violet) RHS 77A (Purple) veins and RHS N77A (Purple) at midvein Flower size (diameter) 3.5 cm 2.0 cm 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Calibrachoa plant as illustrated and described herein. 